What's New

December 2006 

Blessed Marianne Shrine, Utica, N.Y. Photo: Parish Christmas 2006 bulletincreative@stronachassociates.com

SHRINE IN UTICA

An announcement to the media on December 22nd from Rev. Richard Dellos, parish administrator of St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church in Utica, NY, together with Betty Frank, Shrine Committee and Mother Marianne Prayer Group Co-ordinator, tells the news with great joy that the nearly life-sized sculpture of Blessed Marianne has been placed in the newly completed shrine adjacent to the church at 702 Columbia Street. Ground was broken for the Shrine on All Saints Day, November 1st and the Sullivan Construction Company finished its work before Christmas Day. Landscaping wiil be in the Spring and a formal dedication then will take place.

Mother Marianne, who was born in Heppenheim, Germany, on January 23, 1838, came to West Utica with her parents and siblings before her second birthday. Records show that the family left Germany in 1839.  She attended St. Joseph School and was one of the first parishioners to become a Franciscan sister. She led a contingent of Franciscan sisters to Hawaii in 1883 and spent the next 35 years there caring for leprosy patients until her death in 1918. As part of her cause for sainthood, she was beatified at the Vatican on May 14, 2005.  Her official feastday in the Church is the date of her birth, January 23rd.

Blessed Marianne's view of surroundings Photo: Parish Christmas 2006 bulletincreative@stronachassociates.com

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BLESSED MARIANNE COPE AND DEVOTEE NANCY DUFFY   

Nancy Duffy's sketch of Mother Marianne

On the day of Nancy Duffy's funeral in Syracuse, NY, December 28th, flags were ordered to be at half-staff by its Mayor. Those of us living in the area remember Nancy Duffy for her years as a dignified reporter-commentator on local television. 

A highlight of her career was her role as organizer or founder of the revival of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, an annual event which typically draws an estimated crowd of one hundred thousand persons, as well as five to six thousands participants. .

Nancy was a strong supporter of the Cause of Blessed Marianne Cope.  It is fitting that she and an editor friend, Cassandra Harris-Lockwood, share credit lines for a recent article about Blessed Marianne appearing in the November 2006 edition of the UTICA PHOENIX. 

Nancy was in attendance in a private capacity at ceremonies held in Syracuse and Utica regarding the return of Mother's remains to the area. She favored the Blessed Marianne Museum with a sketch that she drew of Mother Marianne which she specified was sent on in thanksgiving for the work that was done to have her beatified. On last November 8, she received a special blessing from Bishop Larry Silva of the Hawaiian Islands during his visit to the Shrine. May hers and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.